12 Important Rulings of Salat al-Janazah Backed by Authentic Hadiths

✍ Written by: Abu Thāqib Muḥammad Ṣafdar Ḥaẓrūwī

❖ Selected Rulings Regarding Salat al-Janāzah (Funeral Prayer)​

① Reciting Surah al-Fātiḥah in Salat al-Janāzah is Sunnah​

See: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (Vol. 1, p. 178, Ḥadīth 1335)

② Reciting an Additional Sūrah after Sūrah al-Fātiḥah is Sunnah​

See: Sunan al-Nasā’ī (Vol. 2, p. 281, Ḥadīth 1989) – Authentic upon the conditions of al-Bukhārī

③ Recitation Should Only Be Done After the First Takbīr​

See: Muṣannaf ʿAbd al-Razzāq (Vol. 3, pp. 488, 389, Ḥadīth 6428)
Musnad Ibn al-Jārūd (p. 189, Ḥadīth 540) – Authentic Chain

④ After the Recitation, Ṣalāh upon the Prophet ﷺ Should Be Sent​

See: Muṣannaf ʿAbd al-Razzāq
Musnad Ibn al-Jārūd (Ḥadīth 540) – Authentic Chain

⑤ Then a Sincere Supplication for the Deceased Should Be Made​

See: Muṣannaf ʿAbd al-Razzāq (Vol. 3, pp. 488–489, Ḥadīth 6428)
Musnad Ibn al-Jārūd (p. 189, Ḥadīth 540) – Authentic Chain

⑥ Performing the Janāzah Prayer Aloud (Jahran) Is Sunnah​

See: Sunan al-Nasā’ī (Vol. 2, p. 281, Ḥadīth 1989) – Authentic Chain
al-Mustadrak by al-Ḥākim (Vol. 1, p. 358, Ḥadīth 1323) – Ṣaḥīḥ on the conditions of Muslim, agreed upon by al-Dhahabī

⑦ Reciting Silently (Sirr) in Janāzah Prayer Is Also Sunnah​

See: Sunan al-Nasā’ī (Vol. 3, p. 381, Ḥadīth 1991) – Authentic Ḥadīth

⑧ Jahr (Audible Recitation) Is Used for Educational Purposes​

See: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (Ḥadīth 1335)
al-Mustadrak by al-Ḥākim (Vol. 1, p. 358) – Ṣaḥīḥ on the conditions of Muslim, agreed upon by al-Dhahabī

⑨ It Is Sunnah to Conclude the Janāzah Prayer by Saying Salām to the Right​

See: Sunan al-Nasā’ī (Vol. 2, p. 281, Ḥadīth 1991)
Muṣannaf ʿAbd al-Razzāq (Vol. 3, pp. 488, 489, Ḥadīth 6428) – Authentic Chain

⑩ It Is Permissible to Recite the Supplication in an Audible Voice So That the Followers Can Memorize It​

See: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (Vol. 1, p. 311, Ḥadīth 638, Dār al-Salām numbering: 2232–2234)
Sunan Abī Dāwūd (Vol. 2, p. 101, Ḥadīth 3202) – Authentic
▶ Note: In the narration of Abū Dāwūd, the name of the deceased is also mentioned during the supplication.

⑪ There Is Consensus Among the Tābiʿīn That No Specific Duʿāʾ Is Fixed for the Deceased — Any Supplication Can Be Made​

See: Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah (Vol. 3, pp. 294–295, Ḥadīths 11367–11374)


The Prophet ﷺ said regarding the final part of tashahhud:


«ثم ليتخير من الدعاء أعجبه إليه فيدعو»
“Then let him choose any supplication that he likes and make that duʿāʾ.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (Vol. 1, p. 115, Ḥadīth 835)

⑫ When the Prophet ﷺ Recited the Qunūt Nāzilah, the Companions Would Say Āmīn Behind Him​

See: Sunan Abī Dāwūd (Vol. 1, p. 211, Ḥadīth 1443) – Ḥasan Chain
Also authenticated by:
Ibn Khuzaymah (Ḥadīth 618)
al-Ḥākim (Vol. 1, p. 225) – Ṣaḥīḥ on the conditions of al-Bukhārī, agreed upon by al-Dhahabī

Important Notes:​

❖ Note 1:​

When a Companion (Ṣaḥābī) calls something a Sunnah, the reference is to the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ, not a personal opinion.
See: Muqaddimah Ibn al-Ṣalāḥ, p. 123, Type (8)
Naṣb al-Rāyah, Vol. 1, p. 314
al-Mustadrak, Vol. 1, pp. 358–360

❖ Note 2:​

The following are not proven from the Prophet ﷺ in Salat al-Janāzah:

• Skipping Surah al-Fātiḥah
• Supplication of Jalla Thanāʾuka (Duʿāʾ al-Istiftāḥ)
• The version of Durūd involving mercy and blessings (Raḥmah wa Tarḥamah)

These elements are not authentically reported from the Prophet ﷺ.